LOS ANGELES - A regular joke during the dynasty years, when the Lakers could laugh a lot more, was that Phil Jackson's halftime speeches had to be real snoozers, because those successful Lakers teams frequently just went through motions in third-quarter giveaways.

With time, Jackson doesn't seem to have gotten more compelling at halftime.

Third quarters continued to be a rough spot for the Lakers this season, and the breakdowns were for the second consecutive game too much to overcome.

The Lakers lost, 112-111, to the Boston Celtics on Sunday night at Staples Center. With the loss, the Lakers blew an opportunity finally to move ahead of the pace set by last season's Jackson-less team, which also started 28-28.

"We slept almost all the way through the third quarter," Jackson said.

Jackson said his halftime speech on this night was: "You had your nap in the first half. Now you can go out and play the second."

As he recapped it, Jackson added: "I guess that doesn't work."

There was plenty nonsensical about this game for the Lakers, with Kobe Bryant reversing his normal format and scoring 37 of his 40 points before the fourth quarter, at which point his teammates began a rally with Bryant resting. Then one day after Jackson had declared about inconsistent second star Lamar Odom, "I believe in Lamar," Odom came through: He got the ball with the Lakers down, 111-108, and delivered a three-point play.

Odom's free throw forged a tie with 15.3 seconds left, but Odom had missed 5 of 6 before that. Because of that, Odom offered to accept blame for the loss - something he has done many times this season. Odom finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and no turnovers but was part of a disappointing defensive showing.

"We don't know how to win ugly yet," Odom said. "It's either we have good offensive games or we lose."

There would be one more defensive failure when Bryant reached around Boston's Paul Pierce and was called for a foul by Violet Palmer with 3.2 seconds left. Pierce made the first foul shot, leaving the Lakers 1.7 seconds - Jackson insisted there should've been at least 2.4 seconds - to win.

Jackson advised inbound passer Luke Walton to use Bryant as a "decoy," but Walton didn't spot Odom under the hoop and passed out high to Bryant, who missed a well-contested fadeaway at the buzzer.

"I had two guys on me," Bryant said. "Somebody else should've been open."

About the loss, Bryant said: "I am very frustrated. We shouldn't have lost this game. With that being said, we have to bounce back and be ready for the next one."

BIG-MAN SHUFFLE

After seeing Kwame Brown, Chris Mihm, Brian Cook and Odom repeatedly fail to plug the lane and stop Celtics such as Pierce (39 points) from reaching the rim, Jackson resorted to rookie power forward Ronny Turiaf down the stretch.

Turiaf missed a couple of critical box-outs that Jackson ascribed to fatigue but made a decent overall showing in 14:17 of action. Two of the Lakers whom Bryant is most fond of - Sasha Vujacic and Turiaf - infused the team with energy to start the fourth when Bryant rested.

Jackson related how Bryant told Turiaf that he understands the triangle offense better than other players who've had six months in it.

MIND GAMES

After faltering against Boston, the Lakers still have three lesser opponents (Orlando, Portland and Golden State) on tap before they move into a four-game stretch featuring Detroit, San Antonio, New Orleans/Oklahoma City and San Antonio again.

But this week will be interesting for Jackson to see if his team can improve its ability to focus from game to game: the Lakers have four games in five days from Tuesday-Saturday.

Jackson said one reason his team lost to the Clippers on Friday night is ongoing trouble refocusing after success. Jackson referred to it as the human nature of "you perform and then you relax."

"It's hard to rebuild that same critical tension that you have to have to compete in a game the following day," Jackson said of his team, which had beaten Sacramento on Thursday night.

The Lakers are 4-9 in the second game of back-to-backs this season. That is an upgrade from last season, however, when they were 5-14 in those games.

NOTES

Bryant was given his 12th technical foul of the season Friday night, drawing one on conjunction with Cuttino Mobley of the Clippers in the aftermath of the scuffle between Cook and Cassell. Bryant will now receive a letter of warning from the league - standard upon receiving No. 12 this season - because a one-game suspension comes upon receiving the 16th technical foul this season.

Lakers guard Aaron McKie still has not begun contact drills in his recovery from a torn quadriceps tendon. He is doing on-court activity, though, and took part in an extended shooting competition Saturday with Odom and Smush Parker.

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.